Managing the modern workforce: the workplace revolution

Over the last four decades, the face of UK employment has undergone radical change. From the decline of manufacturing, the dissolution of the job for life, and the birth of flexible working practices, to increased mobility, technical advancement, and the heightened presence of women and multi-generational workers, the British labour market of 2013 bears small resemblance to the trade dominated, career structured isle of 1970.

These changes have been revolutionary, but not without their complications. There are now more people in education than ever before, and yet the UK is falling dangerously behind the rest of the world in terms of business skills and literacy levels. Generation Y dominates the workplace, but youth unemployment remains at an all-time high. And whilst the workforce is at its most diverse thanks to equality laws around age, gender and ethnicity, employers are struggling to engage, motivate and retain their best employees amid a sea of drastically varying needs and expectations.